Seminar on Understanding of Faith and Current Thinking Seminar

The scope of study and research on the Ahli Sunnah Waljama'ah school of thought at the Seri Begawan Religious Teachers University College, KUPUSB is hoped to be further broadened in order to focus on the Brunei nationhood as an Islamic country according to the Ahli Sunnah Waljama'ah following Mazhab Shafi'e as declared in the Brunei Darussalam Constitution. The Minister of Religious Affairs stated the matter at the opening ceremony of the Seminar on Understanding of Faith and Current Thinking or SEKAPES.

Yang Berhormat Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman in his speech touched on the need to broaden the intended scope of study so that the Brunei Darussalam desired in its Declaration of Independence will be perpetuated as a Malay Islamic Monarchy, MIB nation that is sovereign with a core of Islamic teachings according to the ahli sunnah Waljamaah. Yang Berhormat Pehin said in this regard study centres such as the Ahli Sunnah waljamaah school of thought study centre at the University College are qualified to actively continue with knowledge studies on the understanding of Islam as practised in the country which is the Ahli Sunnah Waljamaah school of thought.

The main working paper titled 'pendekatan Manhaj nusantara kerangka ahli sunnah waljamaah dalam menangani gerakan liberalis dan pelampau agama' was presented by Major Associate Professor Dr. Mohammad Mizan bin Mohammad Aslam, Rector of Perlis Islamic University College. The working paper among other matters touched on the institution of usrah, knowledge halaqah, continuous lectures that should be empowered and made as an alternative for the muslim community to obtain a much broader knowledge. He added that the institution must be activated with more detailed planning especially from the aspect of curriculum preparation and reading materials.

A number of working papers are tabled during the 2-day seminar. Participants comprise of officers and staff from the government and private sectors as well as higher education institution graduates in the country. Also present was Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdul Aziz bin Orang Kaya Maharaja Lela Haji Yussof, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Religious Affairs.